Alive

Chapter 6

“Gemma, you’re cheating!” Yasmine whined as my sister won again, for the tenth time. We were playing a stupid fucking dancing game that she decided would be fun and entertaining. Well they played mostly, I just sat there and watched them bicker over who was better and when Gemma beat her time after time; Yasmine decided that she wasn’t having any more of my sisters shit. Gemma was a bit cocky, and if you challenged her, she would put you to shame.

It was almost twelve, and we’d been instructed by our mums that we had to clean and take the girls out for lunch. My aunt Tricia did this almost every year, from what I remember from living here. She would tell the girls that they would only be getting what their family from England would send, but in the end they would have a ton of presents for Christmas morning.

This was also going to be a different Christmas; Yasmine and her family were going to have dinner with us, and come over for brunch on Christmas day. Even though I clearly remember her always escaping to the house on Christmas day to show me her gifts and then we’d sit and watch films all day. It was something I hoped we’d do again, though her attitude was giving me another idea of what she wanted.

After I kissed her in the bedroom two nights ago, she kissed me again and then sped down the stairs, almost tripping and tumbling down and out of the house. It’s been two days; two fucking days and she hasn’t said a word to me yet. When the doorbell rang this morning, Gemma ran to open the door, yelling that she knew it was Yasmine.

“HI Gemma, are Tricia and Anne ready? If we don’t hurry, this last minute shopping will turn into a disaster, knowing how impatient both your mother and aunt are.” I heard Yasmine’s mom say.

“Morning, and yes let me get them for you.” She said laughing, and then proceeded to go from the foyer to the kitchen yelling. I swear, my sister was too loud and obnoxious sometimes, no wonder she wasn’t married yet. After that, we were told what to do, and decided to blow it off. My aunt told us to have the girls out by one in the afternoon, and I cursed to myself as I remembered hearing the girls up late last night watching a movie meaning they were probably barely waking up and we had twenty minutes to get them up and ready.

I got up from the couch and walked up the stairs and knocked on the first bedroom by the stairs, “Safaa, are you up, honey?” I asked opening the door only a crack. She was the youngest of my cousins. She was only five when I left and I missed her and Waliyha the most. Doniya had moved back when she turned 18 and I hadn’t seen her since then, and I didn’t think that she would be coming tonight.

“I’m up Haz, why?” She said. She was awake, but I smiled when I opened the door to find her still laying in bed with her tablet. She was always playing on that thing.

“Get dressed; we’re going out for lunch.” I smiled and walked out the room. I heard her groan and the rustling of her searching in her closet.

 I knocked on Waliyha’s door, and she answered me quickly. “I heard you tell Saf were going out, I’m getting dressed.”

“Thanks!” I answered through the door. This house really didn’t have sound barriers; you could hear everything and anything that happened, hence my lack of sleep the last few nights I’ve been here. Besides the fact that I can’t stop thinking about Yasmine, Zayn and Perrie can’t keep their hands off each other at night and his bedroom is adjacent to mine, fucking wonderful.

I walked down the stairs, trying to stick my hair into a blue beanie I’d grabbed from my bag, and slammed completely into Yasmine. She was so light compared to me, that I wouldn’t have noticed it was her if she wouldn’t have let out a huff of air when my chest crashed against hers. We looked at each other and I couldn’t help but notice the way her pupils dilated as her breath caught in her throat. Her lips were slightly parted and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her forcefully. I wanted to feel the soft skin of her cheeks and her soft lips on my own. Her scent was intoxicating; she smelled of strawberry and cigarettes. But not the strong and annoying smell; it was sweet and gentle.